1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting systems, more specifically, to a locking arm pedestal system for supporting items thereon in a stable and safe manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many commercial and government vehicles, as well as some private ones, employ some sort of mounting system to support various items such as laptops. The mounting system allows for ergonomic, ready access to the item without having to juggle the same on the user's lap or to search through bags or storage in other parts of the vehicle. While convenient, these mounting systems can be a safety concern.
For example, during everyday use of a vehicle with the typical mounting system installed, the user may experience occasional traffic related incidences such as sudden deceleration, abrupt bumps or accidents. When that occurs, extreme forces are acting upon the item mounted on the mounting system due to the momentum of the vehicle. A typical mounting system includes at least one articulating arm and mounting bracket that can be adjustably positioned by the user where the user can have easy access to the item or laptop mounted at one end of the arm. The other end is pivotally attached to a base. The adjusted positions of the mounting bracket and arm are usually set by simple screw clamps at the pivot joints. As a result, any changes in momentum of the vehicle transfers those forces to the pivot joints where, over time, the clamped engagement can potentially loosen. If the user inadvertently fails to address this potential hazard, the next incidence of momentum change may cause the item to swing about and hit the driver or the interior of the vehicle resulting in an accident. In light of the above, it would be a benefit in the art of mounting systems to provide a safer configuration that substantially reduces the chances of loosened pivots.
Thus, a locking arm pedestal system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.